3. Amala
Three
Amala
Every woman in this building seemed to be under hypnosis, yet Ares referred to me as the witch.
They were drawn to him like a moth to a flame, inevitably leading themselves to a burning death.
Now that we spent our time in the administration office, every other female agent would surprisingly require administrative support and they’d obviously flock to him.
“Thank you, Valiente.” Mariana grasped his bicep, giggling like a schoolgirl. “Now that you’re here, I’ll finally finish all of my paperwork.”
I could see everything from my peripheral vision and continued typing.
I rolled my eyes at the interaction, wondering why the women were blind to his pathetic antics.
“I’m happy to help.”
Lord have mercy.
When their conversation eventually ended after what felt like an eternity, she reluctantly left the office but said she’d be back later.
The reasoning behind her wanting to return was beyond me because I zoned out.
“Is this what working with you is going to be like?” The sound of my typing on the flat keyboard suddenly turned into background noise when I heard Ares’ voice.
I turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”
“I’ve been speaking to you for the past two minutes but you haven’t heard a word I said, have you?” He stepped closer to me, stopping directly in front of me, hovering like an enigma.
I grimaced, pushing my chair back slightly.
“Should I lie to make you feel better or would my honesty suffice?”
In the middle of spinning my chair around so that I could continue with the endless stream of work, Ares placed his hand on the back of it, forcing me to face him once more.
“Funny.” He deadpanned. “Have you completed the time and attendance?”
He still kept the chair in place, his forearm inches away from my head.
“Last time I checked, I report directly to Braun. Has there suddenly been a change in the hierarchy that I’m unaware of?”
He pulled the chair closer and I nearly choked on my saliva. The man was too close for comfort.
“Sometimes I wish I could strangle you.”
“Yeah?” I laughed, feeling somewhat accomplished. “You’re not my type, Ares. Please keep your sexual fantasies to yourself.” I placed my hand on his chest, shoving him away forcefully.
He looked down at where my hand was situated just a few seconds ago and then back up at me. “Obviously I’m not,”
He straightened his back, returning to his desk. “If I had to guess I’d say your type are men who lack a backbone, the ones who allow you to walk all over them. It’s pathetic really.”
“Is that supposed to hurt my feelings?” I blinked slowly. “You’re not wrong, I love men that I can walk like a dog.”
The look on his face nearly made me cackle. A mixture of pure disgust and disappointment.
“Aw.” He muttered sarcastically. “Is that why you dislike me? I obviously don’t fit into that category and you must be a spoiled brat. Accustomed to getting whatever it is your little black heart desires.”
I tossed my head back, clapping my hands while laughing. “I think you might be confused with your career path. You’re a special agent, not a therapist. So your poor attempt at psychoanalysis unfortunately missed the mark.”
With a grimace, I spoke again before he could respond. “I will give you my observation though. You’re a misogynistic bastard who belittles women to make himself feel better about the fact that the very women he constantly criticises, are the ones who could easily run circles around his ass.”
His jaw clenched and his grip tightened around the armrest of his chair.
“You see, Ares, I don’t know who you think you’re dealing with here but you’re never going to get under my skin. You also know absolutely nothing about me. So if you’re trying to insult me, at least do some research.”
The silence that followed swallowed us whole and if a pin dropped, it would’ve sounded like a nuclear bomb. “This is lovely and I hope it stays this way. I dislike you a little less when you’re quiet.”
He glared at me for what felt like a split second before returning to whatever he worked on before the conversation.
“How’s work been?” Kayden asked, trying to hide the amusement that covered his face.
“It’s been great.” I faked a smile. “My partner is simply the best. A real pleasure to work with.” He laughed, leaning back in his seat.
“With that attitude, I’m certain the two of you will get along just fine. Maybe now you can get to know each other.”
My eye twitched, the involuntary bodily response proof of how much I despised that bastard.
“I’d rather die a slow, agonising, painful death.” Kayden’s eyes widened as he stared at me.
“That’s dark.” He frowned. “Okay, tell me why you don’t like him.”
“Didn’t you end up in a boxing match with him? Surely you should know why.”
I held my hands up to gesture that the reason behind my dislike should’ve been obvious.
“We sparred amicably and resolved our differences.”
“Amicably?” I huffed in amusement. “That explains the blow you took to the jaw and the cut he got on his lip, right?”
“We don’t speak of the past, Amala.” He wiggled his finger back and forth. “You and Ares are cute though, if I didn’t know you personally I’d think you’re a couple.”
I sighed. “I’ve had the worst day and you’re only adding to that feeling of negativity.”
“Alright, alright. I’ll stop, something tells me that you’re going to complain to Kehlani and then I’ll be in the dog box for the rest of the week.” I smirked and nodded. “Come on, let’s get lunch. On me.”
“I like the sound of that.” I smiled mischievously.
“Of course you do. My wife wouldn’t be happy if she heard that I upset her best friend.” Vaanya and Trevor, the other analysts who worked with Kayden, followed suit.
“You off to lunch?” Trevor asked and I looked back, nodding.
“Yeah. The two of you going to join?”
“The day I decline the opportunity to eat, everyone needs to investigate my disappearance because I can assure you that wouldn’t be me,” Vaanya answered, making us laugh.
ARES
My wrapped fists collided with the punching bag, over and over.
The sound of my knuckles making contact with the synthetic leather eased my mind and helped with my frustration.
This week tested my limits and if I didn’t release this pent-up energy, I’d explode.
In the past I would’ve resorted to a rough fucking to clear my mind but that hadn’t interested me in the slightest.
Hadn’t interested me for the past few years.
The chain holding the bag rattled as the item moved back and forth, a sickening, repetitive thud filling the air.
Sweat dripped down my forehead and back, my muscles tensing with each movement.
I heard the gym room door open and then close, soft footsteps following before completely stopping.
When I looked to see who entered, of course she stood there.
Scrutinising me with that judgmental stare covered in disdain. I panted softly, continuing with my punches and jabs.
I’d been going at it for the past twenty minutes but the tension in my shoulders still hadn’t dissipated, if anything it felt worse—especially with her a few feet away from me.
“Is that a snake tattooed on your back?”
Sarcasm. “Seems fitting given how conniving you can be.”
With one more hard punch, I turned to face her. “I’m not in the mood, Rivera.”
For the first time, I acknowledged her attire, the workout clothing revealing every dip and curve.
I held eye contact, refusing to focus on her fucking figure.
“I couldn’t care less.” She shook her head, dropping her gym bag onto the floor.
I swallowed hard, watching her perform basic stretches. My blood boiled, her attitude grating at my nerves.
I released a breath, willing myself to remain calm. “I’ve never told you this before,” She looked at me with a curious expression. “But you’re honestly the biggest bitch I’ve ever met.”
She placed her hand on her chest, pouting. “I’m honored, truly I am.”
Normally the nonchalance would upset me but today I’d finally get a reaction out of her and I couldn’t wait to see the look on her face when I did.
Even if it turned out to be subtle, I’d spot it.
“I’ve been trying to figure out why you behave like this. The defiance, the stubborn nature, the urge to taunt people.”
She crossed her legs, cocking her head sideways like a child who heard a fascinating story for the first time. “Then it clicked.” I snapped my fingers. “You’ve got daddy issues.”
Bingo.
There was a brief crack in her stone-cold demeanor.
A flicker of emotion other than annoyance, anger, or cockiness. This meant I successfully clawed under her skin.
I could’ve classified this as an achievement.
The most rewarding aspect of finally seeing someone crack, even the slightest, is the inevitability of them finally breaking and me being the cause of their ruin.
“Someone did their research.” she spoke condescendingly. “How long did it take you to find that information special agent?”
“Not long.” I crossed my arms. “I mean, being the daughter of parents who divorced at such a tender age and being abandoned by your father. That’s rough. If you weren’t such a fucking bitch, perhaps I would’ve sympathised with you.”
She laughed, like the witch she was, clasping her hands together. “Oh, Ares. You almost wounded me.”
She said. “I’ll give you credit where credit is due though. If you weren’t such a bastard, perhaps we could’ve been friends because this moment is just too precious.”
“Do you ever stop talking or do you need to have a lamentable comeback for everything?”
“I know that the women you normally associate yourself with are timid and submissive but that unfortunately isn’t me.” she stood up from the floor. “So to answer your stupid question, I’ll always have a shrewd comeback.”
I removed the wrapping from my fists, trying to ground myself.
The constant back and forth drove me up the damn wall. “I have to hand it to you.”
“Have to hand what to me?” she moved closer, that smug expression plastered on her face.
“You’re good at baiting people.” I tossed the bandage over my shoulder. “And you easily deflect whenever someone reciprocates your taunting.”
“Deflect? That’s not the correct term I’d use because that insinuates that I care enough to change the topic and quite frankly, I don’t.”
“I see.” I closed the distance between us and she looked at me cautiously, tilting her head back slightly. “It’s genuinely beginning to make sense now.”
“I don’t have time for your riddles, Ares. I came here to work out and having a heart-to-heart with you wasn’t on the agenda.”
“Conversation getting too serious now, huh?”
She looked up at me through her long lashes, a few grey tendrils covering the sides of her face.
The heat in this room felt suffocating.
“The closest we’d ever get to having a serious conversation is if one of us were dying and the other was partially responsible for it.”
“Till death do us part.” she rolled her eyes and turned her back to me, walking towards the weightlifting equipment but I followed suit.
“Now we’re getting somewhere.” I smiled.
“Why don’t you grab your belongings and leave?” she wiped down the seat of the leg press machine before sitting. “I’ve seen enough of you in the span of twenty-four hours, to last a lifetime.”
“No, I think I’ll stay.” I folded my arms across my chest and the moment was short-lived, but she eyed my biceps before shaking her head—lying back, lifting both legs and placing her feet firmly against the platform.
“Suit yourself.” she said, holding the handles before pushing the weight up and then slowly bending her knees. “I’ll be sure to tell everyone that you were watching me exercise like a creep.”
She repeated the motion a few times before taking a break and then continuing.
My gaze drifted to the side of her thighs.
Involuntarily, I swallowed hard as a bead of sweat dripped down my temple.
“They’d never believe you.” Maybe I needed to leave. I couldn’t stay here and keep observing this.
“I swear your sole purpose on earth is to torment me.” she released a heavy breath. “Go do something productive with your life.”
“Tormenting you is considered productive.”
She planted her feet onto the floor, sitting up straight to look at me. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath.
Before she could respond a few other agents entered the gym.
Their chatter sounded louder than usual compared to the quiet, tension-filled space I endured a few seconds prior.
She didn’t complete her sentence, didn’t acknowledge me anymore, just walked away to join the others.
Pretending I didn’t exist.
At this point, I didn’t know which was worse.
The ill treatment, the lack of acknowledgment, her walking away in the middle of our conversation or me being concerned about the above to begin with.